This invention pertains to a lithographic production planning system, and more particularly, to a system designed for the planning, control and production of color-separated films for selected lithographic jobs.
Various phases for processing a final, image-containing layout into a color-separated film package for use by a lithographic platemaker are required. In such jobs, the images which are to appear in the form of color-separated films, are originally presented to the lithoprocessor in the form of original color-integrated, image transparancies. The transparencies are to be separated into selected colors for printing such as black, yellow, magenta and cyan (red and blue).
Sophisticated laser scanners are now utilized which separate an aligned, drum-loaded transparency into the selected colors and direct the color-separated images to preselected tape and/or disc storage for subsequent recall. Upon recall the images are fixed into a film format, one film for each separated color. These films are then presented to the platemaker who would normally make a printing plate for each separated color utilized in the final printing process.
The overall process of providing a color-separated film package includes various administrative and production phases and can be an extensive one. Important technical and administrative information must accompany each image through its various phases so as to present a cost effective, color-separated film package to the litho platemaker.
This process includes the basic phases of sales, production and accounting. The production phase further includes an initial pre-planning step and subsequent steps of scanning, dot etching, proofing and archiving. The functions of camera, pagination, stripping and shipping must also be considered.
During the process, administrative control of the image transparencies must be kept intact so that the original transparencies and their subsequently color-separated film images are readily available to the various production workers at the right size and orientation/rotation as on the final layout. It is particularly desirable to reduce the amount of time expended in reacquiring, redirecting and reprocessing the already existing transparency and color-separated image information.
Existing job technology utilizes pagination systems and laser scanners which keep limited track of the separated images. However, a great amount of time is still spent in the preplanning stage for recall, identification, organization, correction, labeling and look-up of the already available image information. Even when this image information is gathered from various sources in the pre-planning stage for a proper delivery of the original image to the laser scanner operator, less than half of the scanner operator's time, in some cases, is spent in actually exposing film.
Thus, it is desirable to place more emphasis on the organization, preplanning and management of the production system such that complete image information is readily available to all workers during all phases of the production job.
Several particular problems arise prior to or at entry of the provided image transparency into the job stream. In some cases the original color transparency must be either enlarged or reduced relative to the size of the image that is to appear on the final product. Also, the final image must be correctly orientated or angled relative to a preselected axis, normally a 180 degree straight line. The orientation/rotation of the original transparency, relative to the selected axis, must be initially calculated so that the proportioned color-separated image is correctly angled on the films during the production process for submission to the platemaker.
At one time the degree of reduction/enlargement, relative to the original transparency image, was hand calculated. Also the degree of rotation of the originally provided image transparency, relative to a common axis, was hand calculated and adjusted to the correct angle by the production worker. Photographic enlargers with scaling readouts have also been used to calculate the degree of reduction/enlargement of the provided transparency.
More recently, the use of a digital table has made it possible to more readily calculate the degree of reduction/enlargement. The table includes a precision cursor interfaced with a microcomputer. Two identical points of the image on the final layout and the same points on the originally provided transparency are logged by the cursor. The location of these points, along preselected X and Y axes, are electronically determined by the digital table. Upon logging, these points are converted to computer-readable format for entry into the computer. The computer, via program software, determines the relative lengths of the straight lines between the selected points on the original and final image. This relationship translates to a percentage reduction or enlargement factor. The percentage factor is then inserted into the scanner by the scanner operator so that the color-separated images are properly enlarged or reduced by such a factor.
One form of the above apparatus is the Crosfield Scale-Tec digital table. This table also has built-in protractor which determines the difference in angling/orientation between the original image transparency and the angle of the same image as it appears on the final layout. The original is taped onto the built-in protractor with the two identical points again being measured on the original and on the final layout. The cursor logs the position of the points on the digital table into the microcomputer. The computer displays the degree of difference between the angle of the original transparency and the angle of the same image on the final layout. The protractor with original image thereon is then manually rotated towards the angle of the final image with the above cursor logging procedure repeated. When the original transparency is at the required angle a zero difference is displayed on the microcomputer.
Although assumably effective in its operation, user error could creep into the various forms of angling determination, could creep into the various forms of angling determination, particularly if a number of time-consuming reiterations had to be entered into the computer and calculated thereby before a zero differential would be displayed.
In response thereto, I have devised a lithographic production planning system which generally comprises a digital table with cursor, a rotatable T-square assembly and a programmed microcomputer with peripheral hardware. The T-square assembly is responsive to data calculated by the programmed computer, such that it is rotated to a position indicative of a line which provides indicia so as to correctly position the original transparency on the scanner drum at the angle desired in the final advertising layout. The system further calculates the reduction/enlargement factor such that the original transparency is scanned and entered into storage at the correct proportional size. Each image is accompanied by a printed label releasably affixed to the transparency at the desired angle. The angled label contains job-related image information thereon so as to preserve the calculated angling indicia and assure control over the image transparency throughout the job stream.
The programmed microcomputer, as driven by its operating system and provided software, enables the operator to enter into memory various job-related data that must accompany each image. As such the system provides image information to various job personnel of what was done, who did it, what was used and time spent on the various phases. Such information may be recalled and/or entered into the system by various users during various phases of the production job. The entered information may then be recalled and reformatted into various reports as desired by the particular system user.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a system which controls the use of color image transparencies in a lithographic color-separation process.
Another general object of this invention is to provide a system, as aforesaid, which enables user-selectable information to accompany a color transparency through the color-separation process.
A further object of the invention is to provide a system, as aforesaid, which calculates the percentage reduction or enlargement of a color image transparency relative to its final size in the final layout.
Another object of this invention is to provide a system, as aforesaid, which calculates the orientation of a color transparency relative to the orientation of the same image in the final layout.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a rotatable drafting arm for said system, as aforesaid, which is computer-rotatable to a computer-calculated position indicative of a correct final orientation of said original transparency.
Another object of this invention is to provide a system, as aforesaid, which allows for placement of indicia on said color transparency at a position which enables downstream users in said lithoprocess to properly orient said color transparency.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a comparator control card in said system which assures that said rotatable arm has been moved to said computer-calculated position.
Still another object of this invention is to provide apparatus, as aforesaid, with a method that positions an original image transparency on a scanner drum at the orientation of said image in the final layout.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the remainder of the specification and claims incorporated herewith.